


Still Mending

by Tollwutgefahr



Series: After the War [3]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-07
Updated: 2014-01-07
Packaged: 2018-01-07 21:00:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1124331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tollwutgefahr/pseuds/Tollwutgefahr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shepard still has a long road to recovery ahead of her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Still Mending

Shepard opened her eyes to find Miranda looking down at her. She didn't remember making it back to her room after the ceremony, but a glance around told her she was there now. Still in her dress uniform, lying with her feet elevated. She took a deep breath.

"What happened?"

"You passed out on your way back from the ceremony. Part of it was a sudden drop in blood pressure," Miranda said. "The doctors would like to run a few more tests, now that they have access to the Normandy's med bay."

Shepard smiled a little at the mention of the ship. It was good to have the Normandy and her crew back safe and sound. It had been a relief to see EDI up and walking; that had lifted some of the weight from her chest knowing that she hadn't caused EDI's death when she'd destroyed the Reapers. 

She watched a bit of a smirk form on Miranda's face.

"They've also given the go-ahead on transferring you to the Normandy for the rest of your recovery, Admiral. Provided I accompany you, of course."

"You could have warned me about that, you know." Shepard hadn't expected a promotion. The number of medals the galaxy had conferred on her was surprising enough, but the promotion had been...harder to process. She'd managed to hold everything together long enough to make a short speech, but it really was overwhelming.

She sat up slowing, swinging her legs off the side of the bed. She started to undo the fastening of her uniform and sighed. It frustrated her that her fine motor skills still needed work. She glanced at Miranda. 

"Help me get this off," she said. Shepard hated that she needed help dressing if it involved anything more complicated than sweatpants and a t-shirt. 

\----------------------------

Miranda moved to stand in front of her and began undoing Shepard's jacket. "It's good that they have to hold off on updating your uniform," Miranda said. "It'll give you time to get back to better weight and muscle mass." She finished undoing the jacket and helped Shepard ease out of it. She carefully laid it over the back of a chair before returning to Shepard. 

She watched as Shepard eased the braces off her shoulders and untucked the sweater before enlisting Miranda's help in removing it. Miranda set it aside on top of the jacket, then paused to look at Shepard while the newly minted admiral took a moment to rest.

Seeing Shepard's skin covered by scars was still a bit of a shock. She knew they were there, of course, but most of the largest ones were usually covered by clothing when she saw Shepard. It was strange, comparing this version of Shepard's body to the one she had worked on for so long. They were the same, of course, but the scars were...sobering, nonetheless.

Shepard glanced at her and cleared her throat, breaking Miranda's moment of reveree. 

"Could you help with the rest of it, too?" Shepard asked. Miranda nodded and knelt to undo the laces of Shepard's shoes. She set them aside and back away slightly when Shepard stood up. "Trousers as well?" she asked.

Shepard nodded, not meeting her eyes. "I...feel like a child, Miranda. I can barely dress myself."

"You'll get there, Shepard. Rehabilitation will be easier for you on the Normandy." She unfastened the uniform trousers. Shepard swayed slightly and put her hands on Miranda's shoulders to steady herself. She kept them there, and Miranda helped her step out of the trousers. But Shepard didn't move after that. 

"Shepard?"

Shepard met her eyes and Miranda swallowed a lump that suddenly threatened to form in her throat. Shepard's face was completely unguarded and full of such a look of pain and sadness that it was hard to hold her gaze. But Miranda held it, because she could tell that Shepard needed that from her. Shepard's grip tightened for a moment before she let go and sank back onto the bed, burying her face in her hands as she began to sob. 

Miranda closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Shepard's shoulders.


End file.
